Finding The Right Side
by Katia Dashwood
Summary: Draco is confined in Spinner's End. He is in hiding from both the Ministry and the Death Eaters with his mother and Snape. At Snape's prompting, Draco contacts Hermione for help, and to his surprise she gives it. DMHG
1. First Contact

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the world of Harry Potter.

CHAPTER 1 – First Contact

Draco woke in a cramped, messy room, the same room he had been in since the day Snape killed Dumbledore. Thanks to his mother having convinced Snape to make that Unbreakable Vow, all three of them were now in hiding. _So much for Dumbledore having ordered Snape to kill him in order to not blow his cover._ _The Dark Lord found out anyway when Snape protected Mum and me. We're as good as dead; I haven't seen daylight since that day, the day when I could have chosen to join Dumbledore. If he hadn't popped his clogs, had them popped off for him, really._

Draco ran a hand carelessly through his tangled blond hair, and opened the door to the rest of the house, Snape's dirty little house on Spinner's End. _Muck hole. Filthy Muggle house, in a filthy Muggle neighbourhood. I bet even the Mud-Granger lives in a better place than this. _Ever since Dumbledore had asked him not to use the word 'Mudblood' Draco _had_ made an effort not to.

In the living room, Draco found Snape and his mother already sitting down to a quiet breakfast.

'Draco,' Snape nodded at him. 'I'm so glad we are finally to be honoured with your company. Is your letter ready? The mist is positively dreadful today, so we can send out your owl.'

Draco groaned. 'I forgot, sir,' he said curtly.

'No you didn't,' Snape smirked.

'Why must_ I_ write to Granger!' Draco suddenly exploded. Why can't Mother do it? Or you? She trusted you once! She has always despised and been suspicious of _me_!'

'Because,' Snape said, his voice becoming deadly cold. 'Potter has doubtlessly told Miss Granger about what happened that night, and she will know that you couldn't kill Dumbledore. Now, do you really think that she would trust me, who killed Dumbledore, or your mother, who had me vow I would finish your deed, which forced me to kill Dumbledore, or die myself; regardless of the fact that the Headmaster had told me to kill him?'

'No, sir,' Draco angrily, gritting his teeth. 'I'll go write the letter.' He kissed his mother good-morning on the cheek, and stormed back up to the tiny room he slept in. _Sent back to this broom closet to write a letter to that jumped-up Granger! As if she'll even open it when she sees whose owl it is from. Or maybe she'll jump at the chance to have my whereabouts traced. Maybe she's dead._ Draco smirked for a second, before realising he shouldn't be wishing death on someone who could help them, and he wasn't sure that he wanted her dead even if she didn't help him. _God, this world has gone to the dogs. I have to ask for help from blood-traitors and Muggle-lovers, and submit myself to their command. Wait till my father hears… Not that he can. Still in Azkaban, or killed by Dark Lord._ _He being killed would actually be a good thing anyway._ Draco finished his inner rant and sat down at the makeshift desk he had set up in the corner with two small filing cabinets and a shelf from the closet. He took out some parchment, dipped his quill in some ink, and began writing.

Granger-

I'm in hiding, as you must have guessed, since my Avada Kedavra-ed body hasn't been found in the middle of King's Cross station or anything, as are my mother, and Professor Snape. You probably know about the night Dumbledore was killed, and what he said to me. He offered my mother and I, and my father when and if he gets out of Azkaban, protection. He said that I couldn't be killed if I am already dead. No, this is not an invitation to murder me, so don't get excited. Professor Dumbledore said he could hide us, and _pretend_ we were actually dead.

Professor Snape, as he told me as soon as we fled from the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, was acting on Professor Dumbledore's orders that night. Dumbledore had told Snape to kill him rather than risk blowing his cover. That's why he gave Snape the jinxed DADA position. Dumbledore had realised he would probably die at the end of the year. Tell Potter not to kill him when they meet again.

Being Potter's sidekick and all, I hope that you can sway him to accept my services, and to let me join the right side. In return for my help to you, I request that my mother and Professor Snape be protected as well. Send reply back with my owl.

-Draco Malfoy

Draco sighed, and folded up the letter. He dripped some wax onto the flap, and sealed it with the Malfoy crest using his signet ring. Draco carried the letter downstairs to the living room. Snape took it from him without a word. He tied it to the leg of Draco's eagle owl, and extinguished the lamps. In the pitch darkness, Snape opened the window. 'Deliver this directly to Hermione Granger,' he told the owl, and released it into the dreary outdoors. Snape closed the window, the blackout curtain, and the lit the lamps again with a wave of his wand.

'Thank you, Draco,' Narcissa told him. 'I'm sorry you have to speak to that _girl_, Draco, but at least we'll have a way out.' She laid a slender hand on his, and squeezed it, smiling. Then she stood up and went upstairs.

_A way out. Is that what this is? A way out of what? Only death. We'll still be cooped up like sardines in a tin. Probably with the Golden Trio and all their pals. I can't go back to school. Couldn't take Transfiguration again anyway. I stupidly didn't study for it at all. I probably failed. And I've lost my spot on the House Quidditch team by now, having missed matches. I won't be a fully certified wizard, and I'll be an outcast. A way out? It doesn't seem like that._

'Draco,' Snape began. 'I would like to relate something to you. You know that there exists a prophecy concerning Potter, of course.' Draco nodded. 'Well, I heard part of that prophecy.'

A gleam appeared in Draco's eye. 'What is it, sir?'

Snape frowned at him. 'It isn't a good thing that I know!' he snapped. 'That's how the Dark Lord knew to try to kill Potter! I told him what I heard!'

Draco was confused. 'But, sir, I thought that you were loyal to Dumbledore…'

'Not yet! Not at that point I wasn't! I was young and stupid. I didn't know what the prophecy meant! I heard the Dark Lord mentioned and reported back to him. I didn't know it was about Potter! About a helpless infant! I didn't know it would mean James and Lily Potter would be killed in cold blood!'

Draco was stunned. 'But sir, I thought that you hated Potter's fath-'

'So I did! And so do I still! But I didn't want him killed! I didn't want a baby attacked and rendered parentless! I may have been in league with the Dark Lord, but I still had human decency. Would you really want Potter, or Weasley, or Granger killed?'

Draco had to think about that one. _Do I? If Granger were dead, would I care? What if she was hurt worse than that, and then killed? What if I saw her tortured, lifeless body?_ Suddenly, Draco felt sick. 'No, I don't think so,' he finally answered, weakly.

'You _think_?' Snape said bitterly. 'What if you had helped to kill them? I know you couldn't kill Dumbledore. If you couldn't kill him, you couldn't kill one of them.'

'I _almost_ killed Weasley,' Draco muttered. _That sucked. It's a good thing he didn't die._

'Anyway,' Snape continued. 'Potter has most likely found out about that by now. The likelihood of Miss Granger getting him to help us is miniscule. I owed Potter's father my life, since he once saved mine.' The look in his eyes dared Draco to ask why, but Draco knew better than that. 'I got him killed instead of repaying him. Now I'm trying to repay him by helping his son. My attempt to save Potter's life when Quirrell jinxed his broom wasn't enough, since something else stopped Quirrell. We have to get through to the Order.'

'So, this is just to save your skin, then?' Draco asked, bewildered. 'I thought you were Dumbledore's man because it was the right side, because you were doing the right thing to help the greater good.'

'I was. And I am,' Snape sneered. 'But I still have my life-debt to pay. Now, go do something useful. Draft a letter to Pansy if you get bored.'

Draco's flushed red-hot. 'I do _not_ fancy her, Snape.'

'You sure had a funny way of showing that,' the former Potions master smirked.

Draco turned, and left the room. He stalked up the stairs, and flung himself onto the dingy bed in his room. _Pansy was just fun for snogs and laughs. As if I would ever want to really talk to her. _He shuddered. His mother had tried to convince him that he should marry Pansy when it was all over. _Ugh! Spending the rest of my life with that pug-faced, gormless twit would be as bad as the Cruciatus curse. _Draco gave in to his imaginings. There was nothing else to do, after all.

_Now, if I were to pick a wife, it would be someone much more sensible. She would definitely not be blond-haired. Anymore pale, blond Malfoys and we'd look truly inbred. She would be gorgeous, naturally. And she would have to have a fiery temper when she gets riled. I couldn't stand a meek little wife. That way we could have blazing rows with all that comes afterwards._ He grinned._ An intelligent, fully qualified witch to boot. And not afraid of or obedient to me. Headstrong._ He rolled over onto his back and started laughing.

_My Goodness! I've just described Granger! Heaven forbid! Well, she isn't really gorgeous anyway. _

_Yes, well, not gorgeous, but pretty, I suppose I can allow her that._

_And she's got a temper, but I wouldn't want to shag her. But what if she was good in bed?_

_Urgghh! I don't need to even consider the possibility of that!_ Draco stood up, and went over to his 'desk.' He yanked open a drawer and pulled out a copy of Advanced Potions. Snape had reminded him he should keep up on schoolwork, so it was as good a distraction as any, and he sure had a lot of homework and revising to prepare for his N.E.W.T.s

The next day, Draco and Snape were in the sitting room, reading, when Draco's eagle owl returned. He flew in, and went directly to Draco, whose jaw dropped. Tied to the owl's leg was a bright red envelope. Hermione had sent him a Howler. Snape smirked and closed his book, as Draco untied the letter, allowing his owl to fly upstairs. He opened the letter with great trepidation.

'DRACO MALFOY!' Hermione's voice yelled in his face. 'AFTER ALL THAT YOU DID! ALMOST KILLING KATIE AND RON! PUTTING ROSMERTA UNDER THE IMPERIUS CURSE! YOU DARE TO ASK FOR ME TO HELP YOU!'

'AND YOU! _ PROFESSOR_ SNAPE! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE TOO!'

Snape's face fell, and he looked uneasy.

'YOU KILLED PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE AND YOU EXPECT MERCY! AID FROM THOSE WHOM YOU BETRAYED MOST TREACHEROUSLY!'

'YOU SHOULD BOTH BE ASHAMED OF YOUR AUDACITY IN SENDING THAT LETTER TO ME WITHOUT AN APOLOGY!' The letter shredded itself up.

Draco was stunned. 'Reckon I should have sent her an apology, then. I would have if I had known she would throw a fit.' Snape, whose face was white, pointed behind Draco. Draco turned, and came face to face with Hermione in the flesh.

'Oh dear,' Draco muttered.

'Hello Draco,' she said smoothly. 'You think that was a fit, do you?' she asked, raising and eyebrow.

She swept past him, and sat in the chair, which Snape had recently vacated. 'Like my invention?' she said, looking smug. 'The Apparating Howler for my own personal use.' Draco and Snape were still silent. 'Well, I must assume that you will offer me some form of refreshment,' she hinted.

Snape left the room for a moment. Hermione used the time to scrutinise Draco, and Draco used it to stare at the carpet.

Snape returned and poured out tea.

'Haven't you two anything at all to say?' Hermione asked steadily, after sipping her tea.

'Sorry,' mumbled Draco.

'Sorry,' Snape managed to choke out, mortified, but not he saw he had no other choice.

'That's better, isn't it?' Hermione said, smiling. 'Now, as envoy to the Order of the Phoenix, I shall, of course, require meeting with Mrs. Malfoy as well, and speaking to her about what will occur if we acquiesce to your request.'

'Draco, go fetch your mother,' Snape told him. Draco was only too glad to leave the room.

'Professor Snape,' Hermione started. He looked at her questioningly. 'Why did you not return to headquarters and explain yourself at once, instead of having Draco write to me instead? It was most inconvenient to receive a letter from Draco's owl, as Harry, Ron, and Ginny know it well by sight. They didn't say anything, but it is quite clear that they're doing a lot of thinking.'

'Mr. Potter's first reaction upon seeing me would be to kill,' Snape replied with a signature sneer. 'And I can't say that Lupin or Arthur would act any differently. I'm sure Moody has been waiting for the chance to send me to Azkaban for years. So, you see, this was our only option.'

Hermione sniffed disapprovingly and sipped her tea. Draco then returned with his mother. Hermione rose out of her seat to meet her.

'Mother, this is Hermione Granger. Granger, my mother,' Draco introduced formally. Hermione remembered the last time she had seen Narcissa, which had been at Madam Malkin's.

'How are you, Mrs. Malfoy?' Hermione inquired politely. From the look on the other woman's face, Hermione could see that her pride had indeed given way to a fall.

'As well as anyone could possibly be under the circumstances. And yourself, Miss Granger?' Narcissa had the self-command to ask in return.

'About the same,' Hermione replied. 'And please, call me Hermione. It's so discomfiting to be called Miss Granger out of school.' Now it was Narcissa who sniffed disapprovingly. They all sat back down, except for Snape, who stood behind Narcissa.

'Mrs. Malfoy, I need to know if there is anyone whom you trust, aside from Professor Snape,' she said.

'No one,' Narcissa answered, as Snape passed her a cup of tea.

Hermione nodded, and looked thoughtful. 'And, forgive me for being impertinent, but are you, by any chance, an unregistered Animagus or a Metamorphmagus?'

'No,' Narcissa said, scandalised. 'Certainly not. Do you really think the Dark Lord would have tried to assure my son's death is I possessed such valuable powers?'

Hermione paused before speaking again. 'I would like to take you three back to Headquarters, but I cannot until I have spoken with the others. And, I will need to stage your deaths.'

'Are _you_ in partial control of the Order of the Phoenix?' Narcissa broke in.

'I am not, Hermione said crisply. 'However, I _am_ in charge of making Harry see reason, and I _am_ one of the people in the Order who is most likely to be sympathetic towards you three,' she continued firmly. 'I know that dealing with me must be a blow to you, but I am trying to help, so please don't act so disdainfully towards me.' Narcissa looked as if she would like to say something, but held her tongue. 'I _am_ in partial control of Headquarters itself though,' Hermione mentioned, surveying the looks of disbelief on Draco and Narcissa's faces

'Where is this Headquarters?' Draco asked.

'She can't tell you,' Snape interjected. 'Dumbledore was the Secret Keeper, and he's dead. So no one can tell you.'

'Actually,' Hermione started quietly. 'I am the new Secret Keeper. Headquarters was abandoned after…certain events…and after the repossession of the grounds, Dumbledore's original protection proved useless.

Draco's jaw dropped. _A seventeen-year-old witch is the Secret Keeper for the headquarters of the underground movement against the Dark Lord?_

Hermione drained her cup and rose. 'I must be going for now. I have other things to attend to,' she explained. 'I will return when I have more news. Goodbye, Draco, Mrs. Malfoy. Professor Snape.' And after that she Disapparated with a pop.

'Well,' Narcissa said when Hermione had gone. 'That girl has got quite a bit of power if she could break through your Fidelius charm, Severus. Not even the Dark Lord could do that.'

'A clever bit of magic with an "Apparating Howler."' Snape said dryly. 'And Miss Granger is almost eighteen. She is hardly a girl anymore, regardless of her age, though, from what she has gone through.'

'What do you mean?' asked Draco ignorantly.

'Draco, you honestly don't know?' Snape asked, smirking. 'She was in the Department of Mysteries that one night, and survived a nasty curse from Dolohov. She fought at the Battle for Hogwarts just recently. She was there at the night of the Quidditch World Cup, and has been helping Potter since first year. She has seen more danger than _you_ have!'

'But so swotty and plain,' Narcissa said, determined to find something Snape would agree on about Hermione. 'If only she did something with her hair…'

_Well, Mum's starting to warm up to her already, despite herself. But Granger's not all that plain. Alright, I'm not going down _that _road again._

'There is no doubt that Miss Granger is an insufferable know-it-all,' Snape said. 'She takes greats pleasure in spouting off entire passages from textbooks, and showing off at every opportunity. Narcissa, satisfied with this answer, went upstairs. Snape gave Draco an enigmatic look.

'But make no mistake, Draco,' he said. 'There's more to her than meets the eye.'

'Sir?' Draco asked, hoping for more of an explanation.

But Snape merely downed the rest of his tea, smirking to himself, and left through one of the doors concealed din the bookcases.

Hermione really didn't have much to attend to. She had only wanted to get away so that she could get a plan organised. _Harry was right. Draco couldn't be a killer. He's a prat, an absolute prat, but not a killer._

'So?' Ginny asked from her place beside Harry, on the sofa back at Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Hermione sank into a chair, with Harry, Ginny and Ron's eyes upon her. Hermione had become rather involved with reorganising Headquarters, and convincing Mrs. Weasley to let her be Secret Keeper for Headquarters, and Ron, who had been trying to distract his mind from those sorts of things, had gotten rather involved with Luna. Hermione realised she had never fancied him, really, and knew that Ron was not right for her in any case.

'Hermione?' Harry called her name, breaking her out of her reverie.

She sighed. 'Snape is still Snape, and most definitely loyal as ever to Dumbledore and the Order. He apologised to me, for his failure to contact me himself and to come back here in person,' she said, grinning.

'Voluntarily?' Ron asked, nearly falling off the sofa.

'No,' Hermione laughed. 'I guilted Draco and him into it. Speaking of Draco, his mother wasn't very polite to me.'

'Well, she has love for her son,' Harry said quietly. 'If she convinced Snape to make and Unbreakable Vow, and went against Voldemort's orders, she loves him. Love is all we have got over Voldemort.' Ginny squeezed his hand comfortingly.

'I'd like to bring them here, to put them into hiding,' Hermione said. 'What do you guys think, before I go to McGonagall?'

'Yes, I say we do it,' Harry agreed.

'Yeah,' Ron seconded. Ginny just nodded.

'Wish me luck, then,' Hermione said, and left the room to see if McGonagall was in her study.

Hermione knocked on the open door before entering. 'Professor?' she called out.

'Yes, Hermione?' McGonagall responded, motioning for Hermione to sit. 'Have a biscuit.'

'Thank you, Professor,' Hermione accepted, taking one. 'I juts received a letter from Draco Malfoy.'

McGonagall looked startled. 'Oh really?' she asked. 'And what did he say?'

'He asked, on behalf of himself, Professor Snape, and his mother, that the Order remember Professor Dumbledore's offer to him. And he confirmed our suspicions about Professor Snape. Dumbledore _did_ order Snape to kill him, rather than to risk blowing his cover.'

'I see,' McGonagall said thoughtfully. 'And did he give a reply address to visit them in person?'

'Well, no, but-'

McGonagall interrupted her. 'Did you already go and see them?' she demanded sharply.

'Yes Professor,' Hermione admitted quietly.

'Hermione! After all these protections have been placed on this house to keep you safe!' McGonagall admonished.

'Sorry, Professor,' Hermione said. 'But I managed to slip some Veritaserum into the tea before Professor Snape gave some to Mrs. Malfoy. Unless she went around it, which I sincerely doubt, considering Professor Snape poured it out, then we now know that she trusts no one else but him, and that she is neither an Animagus, or Metamorphmagus.'

'Hermione, I will discuss this with the rest of the Order at tonight's meeting,' McGonagall told her.

'Professor, I was hoping that Harry, Ron and I could come-'

'No. Certainly not,' McGonagall said firmly.

'But, we aren't going back to school,' Hermione reasoned.

'That is your choice, Hermione, but I do wish you would stay at school, and become fully qualified,' McGonagall said, a bit worriedly.

'Can't we study on our own, and come into school just to take N.E.W.T.s?' Hermione asked hopefully.

'Yes, but it will be very difficult,' McGonagall said. 'This is my final word. You can't join the Order until you've completed your seventh year studies.'

'But Fred and George-'

'My _final_ word,' McGonagall told her. 'You all help enough as it is.' She motioned for Hermione to exit.


	2. Malfoys at Grimmauld Place

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the world of Harry Potter.

CHAPTER 2 - Malfoys at Grimmauld Place

McGonagall pulled Hermione aside after dinner that night.

'Remus and Arthur feel that you should be the one to tell Draco and the others that they can stay here,' she said grudgingly. 'We have already arranged to have hoax-killings at midnight. Bring them back here as soon as possible.'

'Thank you,' Hermione said, and ran out of the room to grab a cloak. She sent a short Howler on with Hedwig and Apparated when the tip of her wand glowed red.

She arrived right in the middle of the fugitives' dinner as it turned out. Draco looked flushed and Snape very annoyed about the Howler.

'Now, honestly,' Narcissa said haughtily, 'was it _really_ necessary to scream that you would be arriving?'

'That's the only way I could get here,' Hermione said apologetically. 'I'm still working on a way to Apparate in connection with using a regular letter.' She turned to Snape. 'I'm so sorry to interrupt – 'she added hastily.

Snap cut across her. 'What's done is done,' he said, obviously peeved at having his meal disrupted. 'Why are you here so late at night, having Howlers herald your arrival so obnoxiously?'

'Professor McGonagall said that I should inform you all straight-away that you can come to Headquarters to hide, and that your pseudo-murders will be staged at midnight,' Hermione explained nervously, feeling very much as though she was back in Snape's Potions classroom. _So much for the upper hand I had earlier_ she thought.

'I do apologise for such short notice,' she said, looking at Narcissa, who appeared more displeased with her than ever. 'I could help you pack if you like. But you can only take a few things, since the house has to look as if it hasn't been touched.'

'And just how many things do you think I really have, _Hermione_?' Narcissa demanded bitingly. 'When I escaped here, I took a single bag; with only three sets of robes, some toiletry items, and my jewellery.'

'I'm sure you have suffered a great deal, not living at the same level of luxury you have been used to,' Hermione said with forced politeness, though still tingeing her words with sarcasm. ; I can assure you that more clothing, at least, can be acquired for you once you are at Headquarters.'

Narcissa looked slightly mollified.

'We have roughly two and a half hours in which to get you into hiding.'

Narcissa tactfully left the room and Snape followed after her, presumably to do his own packing.

'Draco, wait,' Hermione called to him as he tried to get away.

'Aww, Granger, what do you want?' he grumbled.

'Call me Hermione,' she told him. She gave him an intimidating glare, and to save time, he gave in.

'Fine, _Hermione_, what do you want?' he rephrased his question.

'I'd like to set a few things straight with you,' she said, a bit of an edge to her voice. 'First of all, if I ever hear you call me or anyone else a Mudblood again, you'll regret it.'' Draco nodded.

_No problem. I'm already breaking that habit._

Hermione continued, 'You will have relatively free reign over the house, but you may not go in anyone else's bedroom.'

He snorted, but nodded too. _Why would I want to go in someone else's bedroom? I wouldn't even want to go into yours. Wait. Especially not yours. _

'And you have to call Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I by our first names.'

'No,' Draco refused.

'They will also call you by your first name,' Hermione told him. _Well, they will when I tell them to._ Hermione was using the situation to her advantage, to promote unity instead of enmity.

'Fine, fine,' Draco consented, muttering rude words under his breath.

'Um, can you Apparate, even though you haven't got your licence?' she asked casually.

Draco looked slightly embarrassed. _Great. She just has to ask that._ 'My Apparition isn't the best,' he admitted, daring her with his eyes to make fun of him.

But Hermione juts nodded thoughtfully. 'You can Side-Along with Professor Snape or your mother, then.'

'Well, see, my mother can't Apparate under stress,' he said flatly. 'So, Snape has to take her and I'll just wing it.'

Hermione looked utterly terrified. 'You mustn't!' she said shrilly. She lowered her voice. 'You'll just have to Side-Along with _me_.'

'No,' Draco refused, point blank.

'Draco, you can't refuse,' Hermione snapped. 'We've got to go fast; Snape can't risk coming back for you and we can't risk you splinching yourself.'

'Thanks so much, Hermione for taking my last bit of independence away,' he said with biting sarcasm. He stormed up the stairs; past a somewhat bemused Snape.

'What is he yelling about?' Snape inquired.

'I have to take him Side-Along since you're taking his mum,' Hermione frowned. 'He said she can't Apparate under stress. I don't know why he's complaining so much. It's not as is I want to take him Side-Along any more than he wants to be taken.'

Snape paused before answering, smirking slightly. Narcissa wasn't stressed at all and could go perfectly well by herself, but he wasn't going to tell this to Hermione or Draco. He took a wicked pleasure in seeing them suffer.

'Too bad for you, then,' he said coldly. 'I assume we _will_ be using Disillusionment charms.'

'Yes,' Hermione replied tartly.

Narcissa came down a few minutes later with her bag, Draco banging and slamming down the stairs behind her. Hermione rapped him smartly on the head with her wand to perform the Disillusionment charm when he reached the bottom of the stairs.

'Hermione! Ow!' he yelped. 'What was _that_ for?'

'Disillusionment charm,' she told him. 'And it couldn't have hurt that much, so don't whine.' She turned to face both him and Narcissa. 'The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at number twelve, Grimmauld Place,' she said quietly but distinctly. 'If you're quite ready, we'll leave now.' Both Malfoys nodded, picking up their bags again.

'Er-' Draco went over to Hermione. 'How does this work?'

'Firstly, I'm sending you bag ahead of us,' she told him, tapping his bag. It disappeared. Snape did the same to his and Narcissa's bags. 'Now, hold tight to my arm,' Hermione said to Draco, offering him her left. Draco awkwardly wrapped his hand around her wrist.

He was astonished at how slender she really was.

Hermione concentrated, and they were whirling away, lungs compressed, finally arriving at the cul-de-sac near number twelve Grimmauld Place. Draco forgot to let go of Hermione's wrist. He was terrified to be out in the open after his failure to carry out Voldemort's orders.

'Where-' he left off mid sentence as he saw Headquarters grow in between numbers eleven and thirteen.

They waited for Snape and Narcissa, who arrived with a pop a second later and then Hermione led them up the steps to number twelve. She tapped her wand on the door to unlock it and they walked inside. She rapped Draco on the head again to remove the charm.

He hastily let go of her wrist as Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Mrs. Weasley came into the entryway.

Harry stared at Snape directly. He had come of age, and was determined that Snape should no longer treat him as a child. Hermione noticed Snape withdrawing his hand from the small of Narcissa's back, and, judging by Draco's expression, he had not noticed it. McGonagall now entered into view.

'Severus,' she greeted stiffly. 'Mrs. Malfoy. Draco.'

'Good evening, Professor,' Draco responded politely.

'Minerva,' Snape said cautiously. They shook hands, as if to call truce. His gaze shifted to Harry, Ron, and Ginny.

'Hello, sir,' Harry said, stepping forward.

'Potter,' Snape acknowledged. 'Thank you for sharing your house with us,' he deigned to say.

Harry looked taken aback by this extraordinary statement, and paused before answering. 'You're welcome, sir.'

Mrs. Weasley busied forward to greet Narcissa. 'I'm Molly Weasley. Narcissa, if you will come with me, I'll show you to your room,' she said kindly.

'Thank you, Molly,' Narcissa replied, looking very much resigned to the type of company she would have to keep. At least, that was how Hermione saw her expression.

'Hermione, you know where Draco's things have been sent,' Mrs. Weasley called over her shoulder. Harry, Ron, and Ginny all gave Hermione sympathetic looks as she grimly led Draco out of the entry and up the staircase. Draco's room was on the same level as Ron and Harry's rooms.

Hermione opened the door and waved her wand to light the lamps. Draco walked in past her, looking about the room.

You can come downstairs into the drawing room if you like,' she told him.

'No, thanks,' Draco shot at her.

'Well, fine. It'll be nicer without you, I'm sure,' she couldn't help retorting. 'Mrs. Weasley will do your laundry if you leave it in the hamper over there. Harry or Ron will probably wake you for breakfast. Tomorrow we are decontaminating the library and the sitting room, if there's time.'

Draco appeared put out. 'What? You mean, I have to help clean?'

'Yes,' Hermione said, rolling her eyes impatiently. 'Everyone pitches in. And you might even find it interesting. There are a whole lot of Black family heirlooms around here.'

Draco grumbled, swore, and kicked his bureau. Hermione left the room, containing her laughter until she was out of earshot.

She went down tot he drawing room, where everyone, including the adults, had congregated. Ron was absent-mindedly following Harry and Ginny's conversation about Quidditch, thinking about Luna, who had gone home from visiting them.

'So, Hermione,' Ginny said quietly so that the adults couldn't hear. 'What's Malfoy like, really? Away from school?'

'Well, all this has been a rather large blow to his ego, so he's quieter than before,' Hermione told them. 'But I really can't tell other than that. He has put up so many barriers around himself.'

Ginny looked disappointed.

'Oh, and I think it would be a good idea to get him to warm up to us, so we can see what he's like, by calling him Draco,' Hermione said.

'Aww, come on,' Ron complained, finally coming back to reality. 'We've been calling each other by surnames for years.'

'Yeah,' Harry said. 'I'm willing to let him live here, and trust that there's good in him, since he couldn't kill Dumbledore and all, but I'm not calling him Draco.'

'But, Harry, Mrs. Weasley and Lucius Malfoy call each other by first names and they hate each other,' Hermione pointed out.

'Fine,' mumbled Harry and Ron.

'Now, I'm going to bed,' Hermione told them. 'Good night.

Ginny followed suit and met up with Hermione on the stairs.

'Are you sure you don't have ulterior motives for this first name business?' Ginny inquired, giving Hermione a look.

'What!' Hermione exclaimed, unable to imagine what these motives could possibly be.

'You know, it's awfully strange that Mal-_Draco_ chose to write to you and not to one of the boys,' Ginny continued.

'Ginevra Weasley! Are you suggesting that I've been carrying on in _secret_, with _him_!' Hermione demanded, shocked.

'More bizarre things _have _happened. I mean, look at Bill and Fleur, Lupin and Tonks. Ron and Luna. Madam Pince and Filch – '

'Ginny, I get the idea, but you're simply out of your mind. I would never even _consider_ going out with Draco,' Hermione told her vehemently. Then she and Ginny noticed Draco standing in his doorway, looking at the intently. Hermione turned pink without knowing why her face was turning hot and hurried up the next flight of stairs, with Ginny following behind her, smirking.

'It wouldn't be _so_ bad, you know,' Ginny said, as they went into Hermione's room. 'I mean, if he turned out not to be such an arrogant prat… It would be good for you, and you could help him stay loyal to the Order.'

Hermione sent her a withering glance. 'Ginny, I'm already going to face his annoying comments tomorrow after what he just overheard. I don't care how attractive he may be. He's still Draco _Malfoy_. He still thinks Muggleborns are filth, and that your family are a lot of blood traitors.'

'He's a blood traitor now, too,' Ginny said, suddenly smiling. 'Now if he says that, we can just throw his insults back in his face.'

'Ginny, get out,' Hermione said. 'I don't want to talk about him anymore.'

'Just want to think about him, eh?' Ginny asked saucily.

'Ha ha. Very amusing. No, I want to go to sleep now, since we've got to wake up early tomorrow,' Hermione told her flatly.

'Fine. I'll go,' Ginny said. 'Goodnight.'

'Goodnight,' Hermione replied, and shut the door.

Hermione awoke extraordinarily early the next morning and went downstairs to Harry's room after waking Ginny.

Hermione walked firmly across the room and opened the curtains.

'Wake up, Harry!' she ordered.

'No,' he grumbled, putting his glasses on nonetheless.

'Breakfast in ten minutes. You get to wake Draco,' she told him, and ran laughing out of the room, dodging the pillow he good-naturedly threw at her.

Hermione met up with Ginny and the pair of them went to help Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen with breakfast.

'That woman had _better_ help with the cleaning,' Mrs. Weasley was muttering angrily to herself. 'We've given her protection, the least she can do is to help out a bit around the house.'

'Good morning, Molly,' Hermione said, going over to the stove to poke at the sausage pan with her wand. Mrs. Weasley flushed.

'I hope you girls don't go repeating what I was saying just now. I want you to be very polite and welcoming towards Narcissa,' she said, flustered.

'Don't worry, Mum,' Ginny comforted. 'It'll be like having Phlegm back.'

'I don't suppose we could very well get away with using the same name, though,' Hermione said, thinking of another name.

'No,' Mrs. Weasley said sharply, 'I don't want you two coming up with _any_ nicknames for our guests.'

'I guess that rules out Ferret Boy for Draco,' Hermione said under her breath to Ginny, who grinned.

'You all are calling him Draco now?' Mrs. Weasley asked.

'To help integrate him into the Order,' Hermione explained, before Ginny could add any of her assumptions.'

Just then, Harry and Ron Apparated into the kitchen. They had got their licences a few days beforehand, on Harry's birthday.

'Morning,' Harry said to Mrs. Weasley. She smiled at him fondly when he kissed Ginny on the cheek.

_Well, she ahs got them paired off. And I'm sure she has got Ron and Luna paired off, too. She took to Luna surprisingly well, considering the first time Luna visited the Burrow, she accused the Weasleys of having a Wrackspurt infestation._

Mrs. Weasley looked at Hermione in an odd sort of way.

_Oh, dear. She's only got me left to match up with someone._

But Mrs. Weasley did not say anything to Hermione, and instead turned to Harry.

'Did you wake Draco?' she inquired.

'Yes. He said he's be down,' Harry told her. 'Among other things,' he muttered to Ron, Ginny, and Hermione. Draco chose that moment to enter the kitchen, so Harry didn't get to tell them exactly what had been said.

'Eggs and sausage, dear/' Mrs. Weasley asked Draco, sliding a plate in his direction as he sat down.

_Dear? Weasl-Ron's mother called me 'dear?'_

'Yes, please,' he replied quietly.

'Is your mother going to be joining us in the library this morning?' she continued, loading his plate with food.

'Er – I don't know. I haven't spoken to her. I don't even know which room is hers,' he answered, aware that all eyes in the room were watching him.

'I'll show you where it is later,' Mrs. Weasley said, waving her hand in the air. 'Eat up, everyone. We've got a full day ahead of us.'

'But, we're cleaning the library,' Draco said as Mrs. Weasley headed out of the kitchen. 'How can that take all day?'

Everyone exchanged amused glances.

'This is the Black mansion,' Ginny reminded him. 'There Dark Arts artefacts all over the place.'

'We aren't cleaning exactly,' Ron said.

'We're waging war on the house,' Harry told him.

'What about the House Elf?' Draco asked. 'I saw the heads on the wall – '

Harry laughed, for just then, Kreacher entered the room, muttering under his breath not so quietly.

'There's the nasty lot of blood traitors, foul Master, and that filthy Mudblood sitting down at the same table as Miss Bellatrix's nephew… Nasty little blood traitor he turned out to be, too. And Miss Narcissa! What would Miss Bellatrix say?' He seemed to realise that people could hear him.

'Kreacher, _never_ let anyone, especially not Bellatrix, know about this,' Harry ordered.

Kreacher glared at him. 'As Master wishes,' he simpered, 'Putrid filth that Master is,' he added.

'Kreacher, go and tell Snape that breakfast is on the table,' Harry told him, more to irritate Snape than anything else. 'And then keep out of trouble.' Kreacher bowed in an irksome manner and disappeared with a crack.

'You see, Kreacher doesn't exactly do anything. He doesn't feel any loyalty to me,' Harry told Draco grimly.

'He called me a blood traitor,' Draco said, as the words finally sank into his mind.

'You _did_ come over to the right side,' Ginny reminded him, eyes narrowing.

'But Kreacher isn't right in the head, anyway. He's always saying mean things like that. He's been taking mad orders from a portrait for far too many years,' Hermione couldn't help adding, feeling as if she had to protect Draco's feelings for a moment.

'Portrait? Whose?' Draco asked.

'Your dear great-aunt, Sirius' mum,' Harry said grimly. 'We have managed to get a permanent silencing charm on it, but we can't get it down.'

'My mum might know a spell,' Draco offered unexpectedly.

'Really?' Ron asked excitedly. 'Finally. I've been waiting for that hag to come down for ages.'

'Hag?' Draco inquired indignantly.

'Let's take him up to see it, shall we?' Harry said, stuffing his face with the rest of his eggs.

They trouped up to the portrait. Hermione removed the silencing charm after the boys pulled back the curtains.

'Filthy swine! The Mudblood and that Half Blood to whom my despicable son left this house!' Then she took notice of Draco, who was looking quite horrified. 'And the new blood traitor! If only I could blast him and his mother off – '

Harry re-silenced her and closed the curtains.

'She's barking mad,' Draco said, scandalised.

'Now you know how you always sounded at school,' Hermione said crossly, and huffed away, followed by Ginny, who shot a nasty look at Draco before doing so.

Harry and Ron left as well, chuckling at the rueful look on Draco's face.

_That _is_ what I must sound like! No wonder they all can't stand me…_

Draco started heading down the stairs, but froze when he heard Hermione whispering fiercely to Ginny at the bottom of the staircase.

'I was thinking how he has changed, since he joined us and couldn't commit a murder,' Hermione hissed. 'And then, I hear that awful portrait, and all of what he has done comes flooding right back.'

'It's alright,' Ginny soothed. 'Just ignore the mean little boy.'

'I keep thinking he has changed, but I get this suspicion that his old bigotry is just looming beneath the surface, hidden because he wants sanctuary here,' Hermione added. 'I _want_ to give him a chance to work with us, but it's so hard to trust him on a personal level.'

'Come one, let's go to the library. There may be some worthwhile books for you to keep after we throw away the bad ones,' Ginny consoled, and Draco didn't hear any more of their conversation after that point.

Draco was now a bit angry.

_Hey! I came here. I lowered my pride to send _her _a letter._

Oh. That's what she's talking about, right there. She doesn't like me because I act as if I think I'm better than her.

He turned quickly, hearing footsteps, and saw his mother and Snape coming off the ascending set of stairs, and they were a little too close together in his opinion.

'Mother, we're helping in the library,' he said. 'And would you get that painting down?' he asked, pointing to it.

Narcissa flicked her wand at the portrait of Mrs. Black and it came crashing down off of the wall.

'Severus will help me find the library after we have eaten breakfast, dear,' Narcissa told him. 'Run along now.'

Draco stormed away, down the stairs.

_She's treating me like a child again!_

He found the library by following the sound of laughter and occasional snatches of singing. He stood a moment in the doorway, watching them.

Hermione and Ginny were at opposite ends of a bookcase, and were wearing protective goggles and gloves.

'Ardente love:' Hermione read off a spine, tapping it a few times with her wand before opening it. 'Potions to kindle desire in the object of your affecktshun. Solutions to help you resolve that unresolved – oh, for heaven's sake,' she scoffed, placing the book in a bin labelled _SAFE_.

Ginny smirked.

'What?' Hermione asked. 'You're not still on about _that_, are you?'

'On about what?' Ron called from the other side of the room, out of Draco's line of sight.

'Ginny just has some rather silly ideas, Ronald. You wouldn't be the slightest bit interested,' Hermione dismissed, dropping a book as she noticed Draco.

'Draco, you can work over here,' Mrs. Weasley called from her position on the other wall with Harry and Ron.

Harry and Ron grumbled.

'There are already three over here,' Ron protested.

'Oh, alright,' Mrs. Weasley said briskly. 'Draco, go over there with Hermione and Ginny.

Draco reluctantly went over to their wall, and took a place in between the two witches. 'My mother and Professor Snape will be here directly after breakfast,' he remembered to inform Mrs. Weasley. She smiled and took her next book with great enthusiasm.

_What jolly good fun _that_ will be_, Hermione thought. _Two Malfoys in one room at the same time. All day. And dear old Professor Snape. A day of awkward silence. And possibly injury if Harry or Ron does something stupid._

She pulled another book from the shelf. This one's binding was falling apart. After a few preliminary safeguard spells, she opened it, and then gasped. It was a false book and, inside, laid a heavy gold locket on a chain, with Slytherin's mark. _Kreacher must have hidden this here. I remember seeing this locket the summer before last._

She snapped the book shut.

'Harry! Get over here, quickly,' she called anxiously.

Harry saw the look on her face and bounded across the room, followed by Ron.

Hermione handed Harry the book. 'Open it,' she told him. She, Ron, and Ginny all crowed around Harry so Draco wouldn't see.

'It was here the whole time,' Harry said grimly. He performed the tricky spell that Dumbledore's portrait had suggested when Harry visited him after the funeral. A green puff of smoke came out of the necklace and they all held their breath, trying to avoid inhaling it. But they needn't have worried, because it dissipated rather quickly and the locket cracked open.

'Well, it's gone now. Old Regulus can rest in peace,' Harry whispered. He closed the pseudo book around the locket and placed it in the bin labelled _DESTROY_.

Harry gave Hermione a hug. 'Thank you for finding it instead of Draco,' he told her. Then he and Ron returned to their side of the room to continue decontamination.

Hermione was still rather on edge from having found the locket Horcrux. It also made her upset that Regulus had returned to the right side and lent aid to it before his death and no body, save the Trio and Ginny, knew of his redemption.

'You alright?' Draco asked, looking at her strangely.

'Yes, fine, why do you ask?' she replied hurriedly.

'Well, you're quite pale,' he said.

'So what?' she snapped.

His face clouded over. 'Just trying to help,' he snapped back at her.

_Maybe I shouldn't have snapped at him like that. He was only trying to be concerned. _

_But why? He's _Draco

Maybe he really is trying.

She sneaked a peak at him. He was holding his wand pointed at the open book in his other hand, a look of serious concentration on his face instead of its usual arrogant mask.

_He looks quite nice right now_, she mused.

_Wait. I can't look at him that way!_ She realised and went back to her own work.

Not long after that, Draco yelped in pain, yanking Hermione out of her reverie. His book had sprouted thorny tentacles and had lashed him across the face, leaving cuts and burns. Ginny stupefied the book and put it in the bin to be destroyed.

Hermione rushed over to Draco himself.

'Let me see,' she said softly, wand out, and removed her goggles. He turned his face back to her. She gingerly touched the burns. He winced.

'I can fix these,' she said, and touched her wand gently to the burns. They faded away into nothing.

'The gashes are trickier. I don't want to leave scarring,' she told him quietly. 'I'll go get Professor Snape quickly.'

'And get me some dittany,' he said. 'Thanks for healing the burns,' he added.

'You're welcome,' Hermione said. Then she Apparated directly into the kitchen.

She could see Snape's hand shooting back into his lap and Narcissa looked slightly flustered.

'Draco got attacked by a book and we thought you would be better to heal the gashes than I, to reduce scarring. Also, do you have any dittany?' she asked.

'How do you know dittany reduces scarring?' Snape asked, rising from his seat.

'From Harry, last year, sir,' she replied embarrassed. 'And Draco mentioned it just now.' Snape coloured a little at the mention of Harry'' unintentional use of Dark magic the previous year as a result of Snape's Advanced Potions textbook.

Snape disappeared with a pop.

'You couldn't heal cuts made by a book?' Narcissa asked stiffly, trying to make conversation as Hermione showed her the way to the library.

'I took care of the burns, but I thought Professor Snape would be able to heal the cuts so as to have less of a chance of scarring.'

'You care if Draco has scars all over his face or not?' Narcissa demanded, surprised.

'I don't think he's evil, Mrs. Malfoy. Everyone deserves a second chance, and I think he would prefer not having to sacrifice his looks to prove he'll help us,' Hermione replied. _And I wouldn't want him to lose his looks over something as trivial as an attacking book._

Narcissa looked pleased. 'Well, thank you for your part,' she said. 'I hope _I_ do not get attacked like that.'

Hermione suppressed a smile. 'Professor Snape would be able to take care of it,' she said.

Narcissa either did not understand, or, more likely, chose to ignore Hermione's vague reference to Narcissa's relationship with Snape, and did nothing more than murmur a 'yes.'

When they entered the library, Mrs. Weasley had returned from doing laundry and had set Snape to work with herself. Narcissa crossed the room to speak to Mrs. Weasley and Hermione went back to her own place.

'You're sadly behind,' Ginny berated her. 'Look at all I've got done,' she said, gesturing to her nearly cleared shelf.

'I'll catch up,' Hermione said, smiling back at her friend. She hummed quietly to herself, taking another book off the shelf. She cleared that shelf and started the next as Ginny started her next shelf. Draco was staying oddly silent, which Hermione saw as a foreboding sign of what he might say later, and she doubled her efforts at the task at hand.

Draco sneaked a sidelong glance at Hermione while she was examining a book.

_I wonder why she helped me so quickly, and did part of the job herself. Probably that 'I am Harry Potter's best friend, I must save the world' thing._

He looked back at his shelf when Hermione put her book in one of the bins.

'Ooo, Hermione,' Ginny said some time later. 'I found another book you might like,' she told her teasingly, showing off the cover of the book, _Love Potions_.

'Not another one,' Hermione complained.

Ginny just raised an eyebrow and glanced significantly at Draco.

Draco, oblivious to his involvement in the matter, spoke to Hermione. 'I thought you and Ron were an item. Why all this love potions business?' he asked.

'Oh, that's all done now,' she said breezily. 'He and Luna are dating now.

Draco merely shrugged and turned back to his work, but inside his mind, the wheels were turning.

_Why on _earth_ would Ron choose Loony Lovegood over Hermione?_ He wondered.

_Given the choice, I would definitely choose Hermi – I would choose neither. And I believe I should stop thinking to myself and get back to work at this point._


	3. I'm Just in This for Me, right?

'Well, we still have a bit of work left in the library,' Mrs. Weasley brought up after dinner.

Hermione, Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Draco were helping to clear the table, while Narcissa and Snape remained at the end of the table, talking in hushed tones.

'However, we need to start on the sitting room, so we'll have to split up tomorrow.'

'Hermione and I will finish the library,' Ginny volunteered.

'Alright, so Harry and Ron will come with me to the sitting room.'

'Where shall I go?' Draco asked. Everyone had nearly forgotten about him, he had been so quiet.

Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry and Ron and then to the girls. Harry and Ron looked as if they were plotting something, which could not possibly end well for Draco.

'Go with the girls.'

Hermione sent Ginny a sorrowful look. Ginny didn't smirk or even raise an eyebrow, because now she couldn't try to weasel anything out of Hermione, since they would not be alone. Hermione glanced over towards Snape and Narcissa. They were listening to the proceedings and Snape looked rather pleased about something. Hermione turned away before he could catch her.

_He's probably glad Ginny and I won't have any fun at all tomorrow._

They all said goodnight to Mrs. Weasley and headed up to bed.

'Harry, I want to talk to you about something,' Hermione said, pulling him aside. 'Now that Snape is staying here, I think that it would be smart if you were to ask for Occlumency lessons again.'

'No.'

'Harry, you really need them,' she prodded. 'Remember, "Blocked again and again and again until you learn to shut your mouth and close your mind…" you _have_ to learn to close your mind if you expect to duel Voldemort with any success.'

'Hermione, he wouldn't do it even if I did ask him.'

Hermione shook her head. 'He's going to feel trapped very soon, Harry, if he doesn't feel that way now. He'll get like Sirius. Helping you learn Occlumency will give him a job that will help the effort. He'll still feel useful.'

'But –'

'No buts, Harry. I really think this is important,' Hermione insisted. 'If I have to, I will take lessons as well, just to make you take them.'

'You've got a deal then,' Harry said, grinning. 'Let's see how long _you_ can take Snape attacking your mind.'

'Well, if I can learn Occlumency, then after a while it won't be so horrible when he tries Legilimency. We'll talk to him tomorrow.'

The next morning, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron went into Harry's room before breakfast to talk privately, away form the Malfoys and Snape.

'You're mental,' Ron said when he heard about Hermione's plan that she and Harry learn Occlumency.

'No, Harry needs to learn and I think it would be good if I could do it too, since I'm the Secret Keeper for Headquarters now.'

'Snape'll never agree to it,' Ron said. 'Sure, he has laid off us for now, but you can bet he'll be correcting us and wishing he could take away house points in a week.'

'Ron, he can't do either. Mum wouldn't like it if he started yelling at us. And in front of the Order, he won't be openly hostile towards us,' Ginny said. She was sitting in front of Harry, leaning against him.

'I still think you're mental,' Ron continued.

'Well, mental or not, I _am_ making sure Harry gets every chance to learn Occlumency,' Hermione said. 'He should apologise about whatever he did to make Snape stop giving him lessons last time and ask to be taught again.'

Unbeknownst to them, Draco had come lean against the doorframe of Harry's room. _Ginny is in Harry's room, sitting on his bed, and her brother doesn't care? Her mother doesn't care? What about her father? And Hermione's sitting there too. Why's _she_ sitting on Harry's bed?_ He finally realised what Hermione had been talking about.

'Hey!' he spoke up. Four heads whipped around.

_He's spying on us? How dare he?_ Hermione thought.

'I thought you were taking Remedial Potions,' Draco continued, looking at Harry. 'You were actually taking _Occlumency_ lessons?'

'So?' Harry asked belligerently. 'Why are you listening in on a conversation and standing in the doorway to _my_ room?'

'Harry,' Hermione hissed. Harry checked himself before pulling out his wand.

Draco just turned on his heel and walked away.

'Might as well start downstairs,' Ron said gloomily. Not even the prospect of breakfast could raise his spirits against the inevitable fact that he would be spending the day cleaning.

'Here you are,' Mrs. Weasley said, sliding them each a bowl of cereal.

'Thank you,' they each replied, and began eating as Draco came into the room.

They ate in silence and cleared away the dishes.

'You go ahead, Gin, I'll be there in a sec,' Hermione said.

_I wonder why she's staying behind. Snape won't be down forever, so she can't be talking to him about Occlumency, _Draco pondered as he walked slowly to the library. _Well, it didn't take very long._

Hermione was behind him now.

'Draco,' she called softly. He turned; curious was as to what she was going to say.

'I've just got permission – if you want to practise Apparating sometime, let me know.' She regarded him expectantly, cheeks slightly pink from running all the way up from the kitchen.

Draco was startled. 'Er – alright. Thanks,' he said abruptly.

Her face fell and Draco's stomach did the same.

'I mean, if there's time, how about this afternoon? Only, I don't want Harry and Ron lurking about,' he added, wishing he had accepted more graciously from the first.

Hermione smiled. 'Oh no, they'll probably still be working when we finish in the library. They always play chess and things anyhow.' She went past him into the library.

_What brought _that_ on?_ Draco wondered, following her. _And why did I say yes?_

_I just want to be able to Apparate_, he told himself unconvincingly.

'Ooo, look at this,' Ginny said, excited. She had discovered an ancient Quidditch book and when it opened, tiny little paper figures rose up and flew around over the pitch. 'Harry'll love it!' She poked at one of the figures with her wand.

'Come on Ginny. We've got so much to do,' Hermione reminded her. She caught Draco's eye by chance as she headed towards a shelf and gave him a small smile.

The rest of the day flew past and there was no time for Apparition practice. However, Hermione and Harry did manage to talk to Snape alone before dinner.

'Well, what do you want, Potter?' Snape drawled.

'Sir, I'm sorry for… what I did my last Occlumency lesson and I wonder if you might, please, try to teach me again?' Harry said in a polite rush. 'And Hermione too.'

Snape paused and Hermione was sure he was going to refuse.

'Potter, I will teach _you_. But not Miss Granger.'

'But, sir, why not?' Hermione asked.

'Potter desperately needs the lessons, Miss Granger. You would only discourage him by doing better than he would. You would get in the way of Potter's success.'

Hermione was quite taken aback. She continued to the dining room and sat down next to Ginny.

'He won't teach me,' she whispered, hurt. 'He said I would interfere with Harry's progress.'

Ginny shook her head. 'You'll find a way to learn somehow. You could always teach yourself, you know,' she joked, grinning, as Nymphadora came into the room.

Nymphadora's hair was an outrageous turquoise colour and fell in rippling curls halfway down her back. She flashed them her left hand, revealing a glittering, gold ring and placed a silencing finger to her lips as she sat down at the table.

Nymphadora cleared her throat when everyone was seated.

'Remus and I are getting married!' she announced happily. Everyone smiled, and no one except Narcissa and Draco were at all surprised.

Mr Weasley raised his glass.

'Here's to Remus and Nymphadora,' he said. 'Best wishes to the both of you!'

'Hear, hear!' Ginny called.

They all tucked into the excellent meal that Mrs. Weasley and Narcissa had prepared.

'I'd like you two for bridesmaids, of course,' Nymphadora told Ginny and Hermione.

'Just remember "zee pink would clash weeth my 'air," ' Ginny told her, in a perfect imitation of Fleur.

'I was thinking about "zee bleu," actually,' Nymphadora laughed. She swallowed her food. 'And this is the perfect opportunity for me to find Hermione a date; she can't argue about it, because it's for my wedding.'

'Why has everyone all of a sudden taken an interest in finding me a boyfriend?' Hermione asked, slightly annoyed.

'Not everyone,' Draco said. '_I_ most certainly am _not_.'

Ginny exchanged a scheming look with Nymphadora and Hermione blushed harder, staring intensely at her plate.

Draco suddenly realised how his statement could have been misinterpreted, though he remained ignorant of the look that had passed between Ginny and Nymphadora.

_Oh, great. Now I'm getting involved in conversations I would do better to stay out of._

Hermione escaped from the table as soon as possible and started up to her room.

'Hey, Hermione,' Draco called from behind her. He had followed her against his better judgement.

She turned. 'Yes?'

'I overheard you say Snape refused to give you Occlumency lessons.'

'And?' Hermione prompted, confused as to why he was telling her this.

'And, I could give you lessons,' he offered casually. 'You know, since you are going to be helping me out with Apparition.'

Hermione was surprised, but pleased. 'That sounds reasonable,' she replied. 'When?'

'Er – sometime at night,' he said, 'when we could get away and people would just assume we were in our rooms.'

'That's fine. Thank you,' Hermione agreed. 'We can use the library, now that it's decontaminated.

'See you tomorrow, then,' he said awkwardly.

'Tomorrow.' She continued up the staircase.

_I can't tell Harry or Ron about this. No way. They've just begun to trust Draco. And they'd call it 'fraternizing with the enemy.' In fewer words of course. I can't tell Ginny, because she will read too much into it._

She closed and locked the door to her room.

_I'm not going to deny I'm looking forward to this._

_But honestly, Draco and I are just helping each other out. There's nothing more to it._

_He doesn't want news of this to get out either. I suppose it would tarnish his reputation. Though I can't imagine Slytherin House would welcome him back with open arms. _Hermione smirked and then mentally slapped herself.

_And I can't seem to welcome him either._

Draco locked the door to his room before changing into pyjamas and getting into bed.

_Why did I offer to give her Occlumency lessons? She won't be able to block me the first few times and she'll be so angry when I see her private thoughts._

_Hey, Hermione's secret thoughts,_ another part of his mind pointed out. _Maybe I'll find out if her thoughts are all like her actions…or naughty... Now _that_ is an interesting concept._

_But wrong, and I'm going to pretend I did not just think that. I'm not doing this for any other reason but to repay her for helping me with Apparition. _

_Right?_


	4. Excursion to the Burrow

When Hermione went down for breakfast the following morning, everyone else was already there, including Snape, and there was also Narcissa, who was timidly re-learning how to cook. Hermione slid into a chair next to Ginny and they exchanged perplexed glances, questioning Narcissa's sudden urge to do such a menial task as cooking.

Draco was shooting daggers with his eyes at Snape, who was watching Narcissa closely and somewhat contentedly.

Hermione noticed this odd triangle and nudged Ginny.

'What'd'you think?' she whispered, nodding towards Snape and Narcissa.

Ginny smiled.

'I think it's a bit sweet, really,' she said quietly, "except for the fact that it involves Snape.'

Hermione stifled a giggle.

'Draco doesn't look too pleased about it.'

'What are you two whispering about?' Mrs. Weasley asked.

'Nothing,' they chimed together.

'Boys, no doubt,' Mrs. Weasley said in an undertone to Narcissa.

The girls ignored this and the conversation turned towards that day's plans.

'We could go to the Burrow,' Ginny suggested. 'Mum wants to check on the chickens and the garden.'

'All right,' Hermione agreed. 'It's better that being shut up in here all day.'

'And we could get a Quidditch match,' Ginny continued. 'Before we go gallivanting around – ' She stopped short, remembering that no one else in the room knew about the Horcruxes. Ginny wasn't actually supposed to have known, but she had refused to take no for an answer.

Draco's eyes turned stormy at the mention of Quidditch.

'Yeah. Harry,' Ron said, jumping into the girls' conversation. 'Two on Two.'

'When are you leaving, Molly?' Harry called across the kitchen.

'Oh, anytime after breakfast,' she answered. 'And don't you four go leaving Draco here alone. He can come too. I'm sure he'd like to play Quidditch as well.'

'My broomstick is at school,' Draco told her. 'I'll be fine here.'

'Oh, nonsense. You can just borrow one from our shed,' Mrs. Weasley pushed. 'And Ginny, remember to hold on tight when you Side-Along with Harry.'

'I _know_, Mum,' Ginny said.

Hermione's smile froze. She would have to take Draco. She glanced over at him. He didn't seem too pleased either.

'Are you sure it would be _wise_, Molly, \' Snape said slowly,' for Draco to go outside when he is supposed to be _dead_?'

'Oh, I'll give him a disguise. With his hair a different colour and such, no one would recognise him,' Mrs. Weasley assured Snape. 'I'm sure you'd like your son outside for a day, put some colour in his cheeks,' she addressed Narcissa.

Narcissa looked very much as if she wanted nothing more than to keep him in, but Draco cut across his mother before she could object.

'A day outside sounds lovely. Thank you, Mrs. Weasley,' he said courteously.

Harry and Ron looked crestfallen. Ginny was only slightly annoyed, because she was amused by Hermione's look of dismay more than anything else.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny went upstairs to get their brooms.

'Be extra careful,' Narcissa told Draco.

He kissed her on the cheek.

'I will, Mother. Have a good day.'

Mrs. Weasley flicked her wand at Draco once they were in the hallway. His hair turned brown and his skin became tanned.

'And you be safe, too,' Mrs. Weasley instructed Hermione and Draco before they went through the front door.

Draco grabbed Hermione's wrist and she Disapparated into the front garden at the Burrow. Hermione marched up to the front door and followed Mrs. Weasley into the house.

'Make yourself at home,' Mrs. Weasley told Draco absently, as she continued through to the back door.

Draco stood awkwardly on the threshold.

'Oh, come on,' Hermione said impatiently, grabbing his arm to pull him into the house. Draco peered around as she shut the door. His eyes fell upon a mirror and he gasped.

Hermione giggled at his surprise.

'Do you like your new look?' she teased.

_Hermione just giggled?_

'I much prefer the way I look normally, thanks,' he said, examining his hair in the glass.

'So do I,' Hermione told him on impulse.

She covered up her surprise at having uttered that statement by walking into the kitchen.

_She thinks I look better normally, eh? Was she _flirting_ with me?_

Draco smiled smugly, but was determined not to otherwise acknowledge her comment. His hand strayed to the basket of rolls on the table but Hermione slapped it away.

'Molly brought those for lunch,' she remonstrated him.

Before Draco could say anything in reply, there were two sharp cracks and Harry, Ron, and Ginny appeared, clutching broomsticks.

Snickering at Draco's appearance, the boys headed out the door. After having furnished Draco with a broom, and after Hermione had grabbed her usual one out of the shed, them trouped up to the Weasleys' meadow. Harry and Ron went up, laughing, Draco following them slowly, and Hermione and Ginny lagged behind at the very back of the procession.

'I don't now,' Ginny said, looking appraisingly at Draco. 'If I weren't in love with Harry, I think Draco would look sort of tempting right now.'

'Why?' Hermione asked defensively, despite herself. 'I think he looks much nicer with his natural colouring.'

'Oh? Do you?' Ginny asked. 'You don't think he's unattractive, then?'

'Ginny, for goodness sake, every girl at Hogwarts thinks that Draco is absolutely gorgeous.'

'Not _every_ girl,' Ginny said, staring at Harry.

'Yes, well, every other girl but you. So there's no deeper meaning in me thinking it either.'

'Want me to find out what he thinks about your looks?'

'No!' Hermione yelped. 'He'll just pile on some load of tosh about Muggleborns being unworthy of a second look.'

'You never know,' Ginny said wisely as they arrived at the field.

'All right,' said Harry. 'Me and Hermione, against you three, and this bloke needs a new name.'

'Jack,' Ginny said, smirking.

Draco glared at her but nodded his head in assent anyhow.

'Harry, how about me, you, and Ron, against _Jack_ and Hermione,' Ginny suggested.

'But,' Harry started. Ginny gave him a look worthy of Mrs. Weasley and he shut his mouth.

'I bet you won't win,' Ginny taunted halfway through the match.

'What do you bet?' Draco called across the pasture.

'If you _win_, you get to ride my broom next time,' she yelled back. 'But if you _lose_, you've got to kiss Hermione.'

'What?!' Hermione exclaimed in protest. 'Ginny!'

'It's a bet!' Draco agreed.

_Hah. What are the odds they'll win? Wait. Harry has always won in the past. Why on _earth_ did I agree to those terms?_

He looked anxiously at Hermione, who was glaring at Ginny.

_Holy Cricket. He'll have to kiss me. No! I did not agree to this. I am not an object. This is all just a part of Ginny's ridiculous scheme. Well, it won't work._

'Yes!' Ginny yelled excitedly. 'We won, Harry. Good job, Ron.'

'Against _those_ two, it's not much to be proud – ' Ginny stopped Harry's mouth with a kiss.

Draco was looking surly.

_Great. Now I've got to kiss Hermione. Just smashing. But maybe Ginny will forget._

'Hey, _Jack_, our bet?' Ginny reminded him.

_Damn_ thought Hermione and Draco synonymously.

Draco started towards her. And then Hermione had a stroke of genius and held out her hand. Draco grinned unexpectedly and grasped her hand, kissing it gently and swiftly. Then he retreated. But the touch of his lips upon her hand had still made both of them flush slightly and look away from each other.

'Hey!' Ginny yelled.

'You never said _where_ he had to kiss me, Ginny,' Hermione pointed out, sweeping past her friend. Ginny followed her in almost a race to the broom shed.

'Ginny, _honestly_, this is getting out of hand,' Hermione reprimanded her. 'Why are you even trying to make something happen? He nearly _killed_ your brother.'

Ginny rolled her eyes.

'Oh, _honestly_,' she mimicked. 'If Mum can forgive him, everyone should. And I thought you trusted him now.'

'Well, I _do_,' Hermione stammered. 'But – personal injuries I find difficult t forget.'

'Move on,' Ginny told her. 'Sure, he's made some big mistakes. But he's paying for them now with his freedom and he has turned over a new leaf. Forget _Malfoy_ and accept _Draco_. You're the one who made us start calling him that. So start believing in the change yourself.'

Ginny stalked up to the house, leaving Hermione speechless.

_I can't believe her!_

_But she _is_ right. I am hanging onto my old prejudices, while I can see that Draco is trying and everyone else is trying as well. I offered him Apparition sessions and accepted _his_ offer of Occlumency lessons._

_But has he truly changed? Or is he just here to save himself?_

Hermione slammed the door to the broom shed and went into the house. She sat down at the table and hid her face in her arms.

'Are you okay, dear?' Mrs. Weasley inquired, concerned. 'Ginny looked a little smug when she came in. Did you have an argument.'

Hermione raised her head.

'Not per se,' she said, 'but… Oh, Ginny's right. I can't let go of my old prejudices. I'll never be able to trust Draco personally. He has insulted me too many times… Am I horrible, Molly?'

No, Hermione,' Mrs. Weasley assured her. 'Just give yourself time. Try talking to him, away from the pressure of being with everyone else.

'Well, I will be. I offered to oversee Apparition practise for him, even though it's illegal…'

'Hermione, you're doing it for his safety. He needs to be able to do it. And if the Order followed all of wizarding law, it wouldn't exist,' she said, with marked approval of Hermione's actions.

'And, er-, see, Professor Snape turned me down for Occlumency lessons, and Draco overheard, so he offered to teach me himself.'

Hermione felt a little better, having made a clean breast of it all to Mrs. Weasley, who patted her back fondly.

'I'm glad. He's becoming such a nice boy, that Draco.'

'Thanks for listening, Molly.'

'Any time, dear.'

Hermione smiled gratefully and went up to get Ginny for lunch. She opened the door to find her friend guiltily stuffing a pair of Extendable Ears into her pocket.

'Ginny, what are you doing?' she asked, knowing full well the answer.

'Oh, just tidying up. I found an old pair of Extendables and wanted to check they still work.'

'And do they?' Hermione asked, smirking.

'Yes,' Ginny replied, smiling slyly. 'Well, well, well. Hermione Granger. Fixing secret rendezvous with Draco, are you?'

'We're just helping each other out.'

The boys had already started to eat when Hermione and Ginny got down the stairs. Hermione was forced to sit by Draco, as Ginny obstinately took the one at the other end of the table.

Draco noticed Hermione's somewhat stormy mood, and really should have known not to speak to her, but her tried a bit of conversation anyhow.

'So,' he started. 'Do your parents worry about you being here, fighting a war?'

Everyone dropped their silverware, and Ginny almost landed her elbow in the butter dish. Hermione's face clouded over even more.

_Okay. Wrong question._

'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have – '

Hermione cut across him with a chilly calm.

'_My_ parents?' she asked. '_My_ parents are dead, Draco. Killed in a "car crash" is what it read in the Muggle paper. That's not even remotely true. Death Eaters killed them. They found out about Sectemsempra somehow.'

Draco and Harry flinched.

'My parents' bodies were said to have been pulled out of a wrecked car, because Ministry officials decided that was the only way to explain all the wounds. My parents, my _innocent_ parents, were mutilated by curses and then killed using Avada Kedavra.'

Tears formed in her warm brown eyes.

'And it was all for sick sport. Because Voldemort, the half-blooded psychopath, has it out for anyone who doesn't have "pure" blood and anyone who stands in his way.'

Draco paled from shock.

_She's so sad. But she controls it so well. I never would have known._

_This is why she's here. This is why she can't stand me. Because I could've turned out just like **them**_. _Since when is it **them**? I still bear the Mark. I always will._

_But I'm not one of them! I'm not! And I have to prove to Hermione that I can change, that I've already changed so much._

Ginny was soothing Hermione.

'You're all right.'

Hermione sniffled and the nodded, wiping the tears off her face.

Draco couldn't think of anything to say. The remainder of lunch was spent in silence. Hermione ate her food mechanically and Draco kept trying to find a way to talk to her again.

'Well, we'd better go soon,' Mrs. Weasley said gently once everyone had finished. 'Harry, Ron, Ginny, I want I word with these two. You all can leave now.'

They went out the front and Mrs. Weasley discreetly slipped out the back to check the shed.

'I – I really didn't know,' Draco stammered. 'I wouldn't have said anything if I had. I wasn't taunting you, I promise.'

'No,' Hermione said, breathing deeply, 'but you needed to know what happened.'

'I've only got Mother,' Draco related after a moment. 'Father isn't a treat. It's quite lucky he's in the gaol, actually. Well, you know that. Aunt Bella, quite a nice woman if you're into being a murderous raving lunatic, but I'm not, so I don't like her. Death Eaters have ruined my home too. In a different way.'

'And yet, you bear the Dark Mark,' Hermione reproached him.

'It was forced on me!' he exclaimed, becoming angry. 'The Dark Lord said he'd kill my mother if I didn't go through with getting it, and if I didn't complete my task! What else could I have done? What would _you_ have done? What could anyone have done to help me find another way out?'

Hermione drew herself up to her full height and looked him straight in the eye.

'You could've asked for help,' she said severely. 'You must have known your mother trusts Snape entirely, enough to go against Voldemort's orders to her. Dumbledore would have put you into hiding! You could've gone to him at any time. And yet, you chose not to engage your brain!'

'I was scared! Do you realise what it's like to be in my position? To be in danger of being killed, of those you love dying too?!'

He knew immediately from her facial expression that he had crossed a line.

'Draco, I've lived like that ever day of my life since the end of my first year, when I realised that Voldemort was still around,' Hermione said, fury and a sense of power emanating off her body. '_Every _day since then, I have been in that same situation. But I don't let it get in the way of what's right. I fight back.'

_Is this what Snape meant by 'There's more to her than meets the eye'?_ Draco asked himself nervously.

'That's what I want to do from now on,' he told her sincerely. 'I'm not just here because I want protection. I'm here to help fight back.'

They stood for a moment in silence.

When Hermione spoke again, she was calmer.

'We will go on with starting our lessons, won't we?' she asked

'We're all right, then?'

'For now,' Hermione replied with a small smile. 'I think I underestimated you.'

Draco returned the smile.

'I underestimated you as well.'


End file.
